Dynamic Bracket

ABSTRACT

A method of conducting a tournament bracket game is provided which includes: a. allowing participants to change their selections as the tournament bracket game progresses based on tournament bracket game rules, the results of the tournament, and the results of participants&#39; selections in the tournament and b. a scoring system that rewards correct selections by round with bonus points awarded for correctly selecting both teams that advance to a game. The tournament bracket game is designed specifically for application to the NCAA™ Men&#39;s College Basketball Tournament competition but is also applicable to any single elimination tournament bracket game whether sports based or not, including but not limited to soccer, rugby, tennis, hockey, baseball, football, volleyball, poker, bridge, backgammon, and chess.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to tournament bracket games. In particular, the invention relates to tournament bracket games based on single elimination tournaments in which participants select winners for each game of the tournament.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Games that involve tournament brackets fall into two categories, with the first being the overwhelming choice for most game sponsors and participants: 1) a tournament bracket game wherein participants make their selections for the winners of all games in advance of the start of the tournament with no subsequent changes or revisions or 2) a tournament bracket game wherein participants make their selections for the winners of all games in advance of the start of the tournament and, in later rounds, are allowed to trade teams with other participants to acquire different teams as the tournament progresses. One variation of the first method includes restarting the game or contest after the completion of the second round so participants can enter the new tournament bracket game or contest again.

The most popular tournament bracket games are created based on the NCAA™ Men's Division 1 College Basketball Tournament. Men's division 1 college teams compete for the right to play in the tournament throughout their regular seasons and 64 teams are selected. The tournament has a bracket structure which involves four separate brackets of sixteen teams each which produces four winning teams who advance to play for the national title game. The tournament is single elimination so 64 teams are reduced to 32 in the first round, 32 teams are reduced to sixteen in the second round, 16 teams are reduced to eight teams in the third round, 8 teams are reduced to four teams in the fourth round, four teams are reduced to two teams in the fifth round, and 2 teams are reduced to one champion in the sixth and final round.

The two categories of existing tournament bracket games do not produce the best possible tournament bracket game or the best possible participant experience. The first category of games requires fans to make all selections in advance thereby limiting participant activities to prior to the start of the tournament and creating many cases where, if the participant has not selected well, the participant's chance of winning the game can be over after the first round. The second category of games where participants can trade with other participants and acquire other teams after the tournament starts is both overly complicated; more like a sports fantasy game than a tournament bracket game, and contrary to the tournament bracket selection process whereby players picking against a team (picks to lose) are not be able to re-insert that team in their bracket later.

Participants lose interest in existing tournament bracket games for the following reasons: a. once the participant completes the tournament bracket selection process, there is no other action, choice or activity available, b. many of their first round selections lose thereby limiting the participant's interest or involvement in future rounds, c. even correctly victorious first round selections may not have been picked by the participant to advance beyond the first round thereby limiting the participant's interest or involvement in future rounds, d. many of participant's later round choices are eliminated early or e. many of the participant's first round selection losses are within the same quadrant of the tournament bracket thereby reducing participant's chances to win.

One of the primary objectives of a well-conceived and entertaining tournament bracket game is to keep the participant's interest and involvement high throughout all rounds of the tournament. In internet website applications, additional visits to the sponsor site can result in increased product sales, stronger brand awareness and recognition and increased advertising revenues. Additional visits to the sponsor site can result in increased access and usage of other content and advertising available on the sponsor site by game participants making sponsorship of the tournament bracket game more commercially viable.

SUMMARY

The present invention relates to a method for conducting a tournament bracket game wherein participants actively manage their available teams as the tournament progresses, making round by round changes to the progression of their selections thereby increasing participant interest and involvement throughout the entire course of the tournament bracket game.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a hypothetical tournament bracket for one quadrant of the field for The NCAA™ Men's Division I College Basketball Tournament. In the actual tournament, there are four quadrants as illustrated in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6.

FIG. 2 illustrates a hypothetical tournament bracket for one quadrant of the field for The NCAA™ Men's Division I College Basketball Tournament, with a sample participant's selections notated and game rules outlined.

FIG. 3 illustrates the same hypothetical tournament bracket for one quadrant of the field for the NCAA™ Men's Division I College Basketball Tournament after round 1 has been completed, with the sample participant's selections notated, participant's game options and choices explained, and game rules outlined.

FIG. 4 illustrates the same hypothetical tournament bracket for one quadrant of the field for the NCAA™ Men's Division I College Basketball Tournament after round 2 has been completed, with the sample participant's selections notated, participant's game options and choices explained, and game rules outlined.

FIG. 5 illustrates two quadrants of the actual tournament bracket for the 2008 NCAA™ Men's Division I College Basketball Tournament.

FIG. 6 illustrates the two additional quadrants of the actual tournament bracket for the 2008 NCAA™ Men's Division I College Basketball Tournament.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following definitions of terms commonly used in tournament bracket discussions and analysis are provided as preface to the detailed description which follows.

A tournament bracket is a grid which depicts the teams in the tournament and sequence of games which will occur in a tournament. The tournament bracket has rounds of play which consist of all teams (remaining after the first round and subsequent rounds) playing one game.

In a traditional 64 team tournament such as the NCAA™ Men's College Basketball Tournament, 64 teams are reduced to 32 in the first round, 32 teams are reduced to sixteen in the second round, 16 teams are reduced to eight teams in the third round, 8 teams are reduced to four teams in the fourth round, four teams are reduced to two teams in the fifth round, and 2 teams are reduced to one champion in the sixth and final round.

The NCAA™ Men's College Basketball Tournament has four quadrants, each consisting of 16 teams, depicted for 2008 in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. In the additional drawings; FIG. 1 through FIG. 4, one hypothetical quadrant of the tournament is depicted for illustration purposes.

Participant selection(s) or pick(s) are the team(s) that each participant has selected to win a game and advance to the next round.

Available teams for each participant consist of all teams that a participant has not picked against (picked to lose) in a game and have not lost a game.

Available teams are reduced for each participant whenever the participant's selection loses or whenever the participant selects one available team to defeat another available team.

Once a team is not available to the participant, the team is never available again throughout the course of the tournament.

In the following description, tournament refers to the hypothetical NCAA™ Men's Division 1 College Basketball Tournament illustrated in FIG. 1 through FIG. 4. Game(s) refers to the games of the tournament. Tournament bracket game refers to the participatory selection game.

Referring to FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, FIG. 1 is a depiction of a hypothetical bracket quadrant of the NCAA™ Men's Division I College Basketball Tournament.

In FIG. 2, the selections of one sample participant (hereafter “Hoops Fan”) in the tournament bracket game are denoted by capital letters and a √ mark for every game of the tournament.

In advance of the start of the tournament, every participant in the tournament bracket game will complete an entire bracket, making their selections for all of the 63 games that make up the complete tournament including their selection of the eventual champion which can change as the tournament advances in accordance with game rules.

In FIG. 2, no games of the tournament have been played and no actual results exist yet.

In FIG. 2, Game 1 in round 1 is between UCONN and Kentucky. Hoops Fan has selected UCONN to win and advance to round 2. Game 2 of round 1 is between DENVER and Duke. Hoops Fan has selected DENVER to win and advance to round 2. If UCONN and DENVER both advance to round 2 as Hoops Fan has selected, Hoops Fan has chosen DENVER to win Game 9 and advance to Game 13.

Depending on the actual results of game 1 and 2, Hoops Fan may have options and choices to make concerning Game 9 and Game 13 and Hoops Fan may, in accordance with the rules of the game, change his selections after round 1 concerning his selections in Game 9 and 13. Hoops Fan's options are detailed in FIG. 3.

In FIG. 2, Game 5 in round 1 is between Delaware State and BOSTON COLLEGE. Hoops Fan has selected BOSTON COLLEGE to win and advance to round 2. Game 6 of round 1 is between VIRGINIA and Georgetown, and Hoops Fan has selected VIRGINIA to win and advance to round 2.

If BOSTON COLLEGE and VIRGINIA both advance to round 2 as Hoops Fan has selected, Hoops Fan has chosen BOSTON COLLEGE to win Game 11 and advance to Game 14. Depending on the actual results of game 5 and 6, Hoops Fan may have options and choices to make concerning Game 11 and Game 14 and Hoops Fan may, in accordance with the rules of the game, change his selections after round 1 concerning his selections in Game 11 and 14.

In FIG. 2, Hoops Fan has selected the following teams to win and advance to round 2: UCONN, DENVER, WAKE FOREST, CLEMSON, BOSTON COLLEGE, VIRGINIA, PRINCETON and NAVY.

In FIG. 2, Hoops Fan has selected the following teams to lose and not advance to round 2: Kentucky, Duke, St. Louis, Maryland, Delaware State, Georgetown, Cornell and Texas.

In each of the four quadrants of the tournament bracket, participants will select 8 of the sixteen teams to win and advance, 32 of the sixty-four teams in all quadrants. These teams will all be available to the participants in round 2 if they win and advance.

In each of the four quadrants of the tournament bracket, participants will select 8 of the sixteen teams to lose and not advance, 32 of the sixty-four teams in all quadrants. Whether these teams win and advance or lose, they will not be available to the participants in any future rounds of the tournament.

In FIG. 3, round 1 of the tournament is completed. Winners of the actual games are advanced into round 2 of the tournament bracket and reflect the actual results.

Points are awarded to the participants based on the number of correct selections of advancing teams in round 1 and bonus points are awarded for any game in round 2 where the participants have correctly selected both teams that would advance to that game.

All tournament bracket game participants can now change their selections for round 2 and forward based on the results of round 1 and the rules of the tournament bracket game. For round 2 and forward, FIG. 3 reflects Hoops Fan's revised selections. All changes for games in round 2 and forward must be completed before the start of each applicable game.

In FIG. 3, game 9 in round 2 reflects the results of games 1 and 2 in round 1 as UCONN and Duke both won and advanced. In game 2, Denver lost and did not advance for Hoops Fan. Duke is not available to Hoops Fan so Hoops Fan must continue with UCONN in game 9. Hoops Fan had previously picked Denver to advance to game 13 from game 9. Since Denver is no longer available, Hoops Fan must change the selection to UCONN to advance to game 13.

In FIG. 3, game 10 in round 2 reflects the results of games 3 and 4 in round 1 as St. Louis and CLEMSON won and advanced. In game 3, Wake Forest lost and did not advance for Hoops Fan. St. Louis is not available to Hoops Fan so Hoops Fan must continue with CLEMSON in game 10.

Hoops Fan had previously picked WAKE FOREST to advance to game 13 from game 10. Since WAKE FOREST is no longer available, Hoops Fan must change his choice to CLEMSON to advance to game 13. With CLEMSON advanced, both teams currently advanced to game 13 by Hoops Fan; UCONN and CLEMSON, are available teams to the Hoops Fan to advance to game 15. Hoops Fan can select either team to win game 13. Hoops Fan advances CLEMSON to game 15 for now.

In both games 9 and 10, Hoops Fan did not pick both teams that advanced from round 1. Hoops Fan is awarded points for selecting UCONN and CLEMSON to advance but no bonus points for either game because Hoops Fan did not select either Duke or St. Louis to advance. Bonus points are awarded anytime a participant has selected both teams that advance to a game.

In FIG. 3, game 11 in round 2 reflects the results of games 5 and 6 in round 1 as BOSTON COLLEGE and VIRGINIA won and advanced. Both of Hoops Fan's selections won and advanced to game 11. Since both of Hoops Fan's teams advanced to game 11, Hoops Fan can stay with his previous selection of BOSTON COLLEGE or change his selection to VIRGINIA to win in game 11 and advance to game 14.

Whenever a participant has both teams available in a game, the participant can change his selection or stay with his previous selection. Hoops Fan stays with BOSTON COLLEGE to advance to game 14.

Also pertaining to game 11, Hoops Fan selected both teams that advanced to that game so Hoops Fan will receive points for each selection that advanced and bonus points based on the combined selection.

In FIG. 3, game 12 in round 2 reflects the results of games 7 and 8 in round 1 as PRINCETON and NAVY won and advanced. Both of Hoops Fan's selections won and advanced to game 12. Since both of Hoops Fan's teams advanced to game 12, Hoops Fan can stay with his previous selection of NAVY or change his selection to PRINCETON to win in game 12 and advance to game 14.

Whenever a participant has both teams available in a game, the participant can change his selection or stay with his previous selection. Hoops Fan changes the selection from NAVY to PRINCETON to advance to game 14. Once the game starts, Navy is no longer available to Hoops Fan in any subsequent games or rounds of the tournament.

Also pertaining to game 12, Hoops Fan selected both teams that advanced to that game so Hoops Fan will receive points for each selection that advanced and bonus points based on the combined selection.

In FIG. 3, in game 15, Hoops Fan has changed the selection of Denver to advance to that game to CLEMSON as Denver lost and is no longer available to Hoops Fan. BOSTON COLLEGE is still available to Hoops Fan and still selected to advance to game 15. In game 15, Hoops Fan has changed the winner of the game to BOSTON COLLEGE as Denver is no longer available.

BOSTON COLLEGE is now selected to win and advance as winner of the quadrant for now, meaning that as more games are completed, Hoops Fan may change that selection if Hoops Fan has available teams and the rules of the game allow. There are still two rounds of tournament games to be played before game 15.

In FIG. 4, round 2 of the tournament is completed. Winners of the actual games are advanced into round 3 of the tournament bracket which reflects the actual results.

Points are awarded to the participants based on the number of correct selections of advancing teams in round 2 and bonus points are awarded for any game in round 3 where the participants have correctly selected both teams that would advance to that game.

All tournament bracket game participants can now change their selections for round 3 and forward based on the results of round 1 and the rules of the tournament game. For round 3 and forward, FIG. 4 reflects Hoops Fan's revised selections. All changes for games in round 3 and forward must be completed before the start of each applicable game.

In FIG. 4, game 13 in round 3 reflects the results of games 9 and 10 in round 2 as UCONN and St. Louis won and advanced. In game 10, Clemson lost and did not advance for Hoops Fan. St. Louis is not available to Hoops Fan so Hoops Fan must continue with UCONN in game 13. With Clemson no longer available to Hoops Fan, Clemson must be replaced in game 15 with UCONN.

In FIG. 4, game 14 in round 3 reflects the results of the games 11 and 12 in round 2 as BOSTON COLLEGE and Navy won and advanced. BOSTON COLLEGE was Hoops Fan's selection to win and advanced to game 14. Navy was not Hoops Fan's selection to win and advanced to game 14. Hoops Fan must stay with his previous selection of BOSTON COLLEGE to win in game 14 and advance to game 15.

In FIG. 4, in game 15, Hoops Fan had previously advanced Clemson and BOSTON COLLEGE to that game. Clemson lost and is no longer available to Hoops Fan. Therefore Clemson has been replaced by UCONN. In game 15, Hoops Fan can stay with BOSTON COLLEGE or change to UCONN. Hoops Fan has both teams available.

In game 15, Hoops Fan changes from BOSTON COLLEGE to UCONN to win and advance for now, meaning that as more games are completed, Hoops Fan may change that selection if Hoops Fan has available teams and the rules of the game allow. There is still one round of tournament games to be played before game 15.

FIG. 2 thru FIG. 4 illustrates the methodology of the tournament bracket game in one tournament quadrant through the first three rounds of the tournament. Participants manage all four quadrants of the tournament for all six rounds of the tournament consistent with the methodology demonstrated in this example quadrant.

Participants continue to manage their tournament bracket and advance their available teams for the duration of the tournament or for as long as each participant still has available teams. Participants may change their selection in any game prior to the start of the game in favor of any of their available teams and in accordance with the rules of the game.

Participants accumulate points for each correct selection in each game with each correct selection worth more points in each successive round. Though awarded points can vary with each tournament sponsor, one example is that each correct selection in round 1 is worth 1 point, each correct selection in round 2 is worth 3 points, each correct selection in round 3 is worth 5 points, each correct selection in round 4 is worth 8 points, each correct selection in round 5 is worth 10 points, and each correct selection in round 6 is worth 13 points.

Bonus points are awarded each time a participant has both teams in a game as available teams, in other words, whenever the participant has picked both teams that advance to the game.

The invention has many features and advantages and this claim is intended to cover all such features and advantages without implying any limitations. 

1) A tournament bracket game method consisting of the process of: a. allowing participants to make their selection of all winning teams in each game of the tournament prior to the start of the tournament; b. tracking the results of the tournament, participant selections, participant selection change options, and participant selection changes upon completion of each game, c. allowing participants to change their selections prior to the start of any game of the tournament providing the change is in accordance with tournament bracket game rules, d. calculating and maintaining tournament bracket game point totals including bonus points for each participant as each game is completed and the tournament progresses, and e. producing the winner of the tournament bracket game through the calculated point total or (in the event of a tie) final game score prediction. 2) The method of claim 1 wherein participants can change their selections of advancing teams prior to the start of any game of the tournament providing the new selection satisfies the following rule: A participant cannot select any team that the participant picked against (picked to lose) in a previously completed game, meaning that once a participant picks against a team (picks to lose) in any completed game that team is no longer an available team to the participant in any subsequent game of the tournament bracket game. 3) The method of claim 1 wherein there is no limit on the number of times a participant can change their selections of advancing teams amongst their available teams during the tournament bracket game. 4) The method of claim 1 wherein participants can change their selections and advance available teams in the tournament bracket game into rounds beyond where the participant originally or subsequently selected the team to advance. 5) The method of claim 1 wherein participants point totals are tracked and tallied after the completion of each game and each tournament round. Points are awarded to the participants based on the number of correct selections in each game and bonus points are awarded for any game where the participant has correctly selected both teams that advanced to that game. 6) The method of claim 1 wherein the applicable tournament is the NCAA™ Men's Division 1 Basketball Tournament. 7) The method of claim 1 wherein the process of making selections for the tournament bracket game is performed by a participant accessing a program on a computer. 8) The method of claim 1 wherein the processes of managing and determining the result of the tournament bracket game are performed by a software program. 9) The method of claim 1 wherein the tournament bracket game is accessed by participants using the internet. 